172 THE ANALYST. REVIEWS. Spon’s Encyclopcedia of the Industrial A r t s , Manufactures, and Cominsrcial Prodzccts. Edited by G. G. ANDR~, F.G.S. THE first division of this work (which is published in numbers of 64 pages each at 2s.) is now complete. Beverages,” and is issued in a cloth-bound volume of handy size, which is not too thick and heavy for common use. In the initial notice of the book we were reminded that the great strides lately taken by chemistry had rendered previous works on the same lines comparatively obsolete; but in addition to this claim to attention the promised Encyclopcedia was to have a still stronger raisoiz d’itre, from the fact that in treating the various subjects the ultra scientific and the popular styles were both to be discarded in favour of a strictly practical or manufacturing point of view.That this promise has been well carried out must be fully admitted, and, if the status of the present volume be maintained in its successors, we shall have in Xpon’s EncycEopadia a real addition to our standard practical literature. The division now complete commences with the acids, and includes alcohols, alkalies, alloys, alum, arsenic, asphalt, assaying, beer, and beverages generally.The most copious and practical details are given of the manu- facture of the substanoes treated of, while the illustrations of the necessary apparatus and plant are exceedingly copious and well drawn. The various articles are stated to have been written by men actually engaged in the respective manufactures, and they certainly read as if this were so, because, not only do they discuss all the methods at present in use, but also indicate carefully the weak points of each process, and show where further improvements are still desirable.The poi-tion on alcohol and the various improved methods for its rectification, is very interesting, and the details of gin and whisky manufacture somewhat startling to a general reader.Here, for instance, is a complete answer to the complaints of an undeserving public, that in spite of Public Analysts adulterated gin is constantly sold, as it seems that the true art of gin-making is in itself the very a c m of adulteration. At page 222 we read that ‘‘gin was originally imported from Holland under the name of Geneva,’ from Geniewe, the French for juniper.The liquor known by this name in England, or British gin, is a very different article from that made in Holland. It consists solely of grain spirit, flavoured with oil of turpentine instead of juniper. Small quantities of other aromatic substances are introduced into the spirit for the purpose of hiding or ‘ killing’ the very unpleasant taste and effects of the unrectified grain spirit.The recipes which are given in Merent works for the preparation of gin are wholly untrustworthy, as t b y yield a liquor which bears but little resemblance to true gin, Indeed, all attempts to make gin from the recipes usually found in books have invhiably resulted in failure, Each distiller has his own particular recipe, and his product its own characteristic flavour and adherents ; the difference between the several varieties, and especially between those of London and Plymouth, is very marked.In making gin, great care must be taken not to use an excess of flavouring. The following are good recipes for British gin :- ( L (I.) Grain spirit (proof), 80 gallons, newly rectified oil of turpeatine, l a pint ; mix well together: add 14 lbs, of common adt dissolved in 40 gallons of water ; stir It contains 984 pages, carries the subject matter down toTHE ANALYST, 173 well a d add 3 fluid drachms of creasote : distil over 100 gallons, or until the feints begin to rise.The product is 100 gallons of gin, 22 u.p. Half-a-pint of either rectified fuse1 oil or of oil of juniper may be added.” Passing over two other recipes, we come to a final one, in which among other interesting ingredients we find oil of vitriol and chilies, alum and cream of tartar being added at the last to fine.Such being the real practical receipts for gin-making, where is the bold analyst who can find any adulteration ? Perhaps the weakest point in the volume is the article on assaying, but as the writer has been limited Bpparently to 16 pages, in which he not only goes over all the metals, but also takes in coal, guano, gunpowder, limestone, and nitre, it is not to be expected that the matter can be canied beyond mere notes, coupled with details here and there of what the author considers to be good processes.The article would have been much increased in value if mention had been made of special works to which the reader might have been referred for fuller instructions.Viewed as a mere summary, it is well and crisply put together, but it is out of accordance with the full information given on other subjects, and it is almost a pity that a mere sketch, as it were, of chemical analysis should have been introduced at all, as very few who buy the book will require information of this k i d Taken, however, as a whole, Spon’s Encyclopmdia must be held to be a thoroughly useful work, without which no manufacturer’s library will be complete, and which no student of chemistry intending to enter the manufacturing branch can afford to neglect.As a book of reference for the consulting chemist it will also have a useful place in all questions relating to works, and the more so that copies of all statutes (such as the Alkali Act) affecting any particular process will be found in their proper places.A Systematic Course of Practical Qualitative Analysis. By THOMAS ELTOFT, F.C.S. THIS is another of these books of limited scope, designed for students preparing for special examinations. It has no feature of novelty, except that the usual tabular form lias been departed from in the metal course, and a system of printing followed which the author specially points to in the preface ; but, strangely enough, the very thing thus abandoned in the metals is adopted for the acids ! The author fancies that his is ( ( the first attempt to place the acids in systematic order and small space,” but, before taking pp that idea, he should have diligently searched the larger works, and he would have fouiicl that practically the same system has already been used in ft more extended form.In Muter’s Analytical Clwnistry, for example, the acids are reduced to an exact course, just like the bases, by a similar (‘ preparation of solution” and succession of re-agents to those employed in this ZwocJwe, but in that work many organic acids are also included, which are, of course, absent here. ADULTERATED DRuGs.-Dr. Cameron, Analyst for the County of Limerick, having recently reported to the Guardians of Newcastle Union that five out of seven drugs sent to him were adulterated, the Board resolved that in future all the drugs supplied to the Union should be submitted to analysis, and if adulterated the vendors prosecuted.